[Influence of iron deficiency anemia on development of thymus and spleen and adenosine deaminase activity in rats].

Models of rats with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were established, and changes in development of the thymus and spleen and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in them studied. The size and weight of the thymus in IDA rats were decreased, which suggested that the development of the thymus was lowered; but the size and weight of the spleen in IDA group were increased. ADA activities of the thymus and the spleen in IDA rats were significantly decreased by 32.98% and 25.89%, respectively. One week after iron supplement, the weight of the thymus and spleen in IDS group returned to normal level (P greater than 0.05), and their ADA activity also significantly increased, but ADA activity of the thymus tissue did not return to the normal. The results suggested that the changes in ADA activity of the thymus and spleen tissues were related to iron deficiency. Stepwise regression analysis suggested that there was a negative correlation between ADA activity of the thymus tissue and FEP/Hb ratio.